Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – April 10, 2020

If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . COVID-19 Client Resource Center: To access resources for businesses navigating the COVID-19 crisis, we invite you to visit PilieroMazza’s “ COVID-19 Client Resource Center .” Please contact covid19@pilieromazza.com for immediate assistance.  SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS & ADVISORY SERVICES CARES Act Guide for Small Business Owners The U.S Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship released a guide for major programs and initiatives under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that will . . . Read More

Jon Williams Featured in “Force Majeure? Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Government Contractor Impacted by COVID-19”

Jon Williams was recently featured in the Public Spend Forum webinar, “Force Majeure? Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Government Contractor Impacted by COVID-19.” With companies scrambling to interpret force majeure clauses within their commercial contracts in light of COVID-19, the session sought to answer the question: “What are the rights and responsibilities of companies in this current atmosphere, under their government contract terms?” A video with Jon’s comments is available below. He addresses the questions: In the federal contracting context, can you . . . Read More

BLOG: Delaware Allows Public Companies to Hold Remote Shareholder Meetings

On April 6, 2020, Governor John Carney of the State of Delaware issued the Tenth Modification of the Declaration of a State of Emergency for the State of Delaware Due to a Public Health Threat (the “Declaration”). The initial declaration was issued on March 12, 2020. Among other matters relevant as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Declaration touches on a change in shareholder meetings related to publicly traded companies organized in the State of Delaware. In line with the social distancing principles adopted by all businesses, the Declaration allows the board of directors of companies that issued notices for . . . Read More

BLOG: Defense Production Act Orders for COVID-19 Related Medical Equipment

The outbreak of COVID-19 has rapidly increased demand for medical supplies and equipment such as N95 respirators, isolation gowns, isolation masks, surgical masks, eye protection, intensive care unit equipment, and diagnostic testing supplies. To address the resulting shortage, President Trump issued Executive Order 13909 on March 18, 2020, under the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA), authorizing the Department of Health and Human Services to prioritize orders for “health and medical resources needed to respond to the spread of COVID-19, . . . Read More

Weekly Update for Government Contractors and Commercial Businesses – April 3, 2020

If you have questions concerning the content below, please visit this link . COVID-19 Client Resource Center: To access resources for businesses navigating the COVID-19 crisis, we invite you to visit PilieroMazza’s “ COVID-19 Client Resource Center .” Please contact covid19@pilieromazza.com for immediate assistance. CLIENT ALERT: DOL Issues Temporary Regulations the Day the FFCRA Became Law, April 2, 2020, Nichole Atallah , Sarah Nash , and  Sara Nasseri . [ Read More ] CLIENT ALERT: FFCRA Leave Effective April 1: DOL Issues Additional Guidance, March 31, 2020, Nichole AtallahSarah Nash , and  Sara Nasseri . [ Read More ] SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS . . . Read More

DOL Issues Temporary Regulations the Day the FFCRA Became Law

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) went into effect on April 1st. That same day, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued temporary regulations to implement the new provisions of the Expanded Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and the Expanded Family and Medical Leave Act (EFMLA). The much-anticipated regulations generally follow the additional guidance provided by the DOL in the past few weeks. We previously wrote on the FFCRA on March 18, 2020 ( link ), and on the additional guidance . . . Read More

The False Claims Act: 2019 Takeaways and 2020 Trends

Presented by  Matt Feinberg and  Jackie Unger . Click here to view the recorded session.   The Department of Justice (DOJ) recovered more than $3 billion in settlements and judgments from civil cases involving fraud and the False Claims Act (FCA) in Fiscal Year 2019, and it remains the primary vehicle for the government to recover payouts for fraud or a material misrepresentation. With recent increases in monetary recoveries from government-initiated matters and whistleblower incentives to initiate claims, government contractors face FCA investigation or litigation risk . . . Read More

CARES Act Stimulus Loans: “Founders & Friends” Podcast Features Kathryn Hickey

Kathryn Hickey, Chair of PilieroMazza ’s Business & Transactions Group , examines the CARES Act stimulus loans—including the Payroll Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan—and what small businesses and their investors need to know in terms of eligibility requirements, the application process, affiliation concerns, loan forgiveness, and much more. Please visit this link to hear the full podcast. Please visit  PilieroMazza’s COVID-19 Client Resource Center for more information on the CARES Act and other resources to help businesses survive this pandemic.

COVID-19 Survival: The $2 Trillion CARES Act and Your Business

Presented by  Cy Alba , Nichole Atallah , and Dave Shafer.   Click here  to view the recorded session.   A $2 trillion stimulus package is on the horizon. Meant to address the economic impact of COVID-19, the CARES Act would authorize emergency loans for distressed businesses and establish limits on requirements for employers to provide paid leave. With increased business closures and layoffs across the country, you need to know how the CARES Act can help your business survive.   Join PilieroMazza ’s COVID-19 Client Response Team for a . . . Read More

BLOG: HUBZone Program Flexibility During the COVID-19 Outbreak

In a webinar on March 25, 2020, officials with SBA’s HUBZone Program showed that SBA understands the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak has created some unique challenges for HUBZone firms. Fortunately, SBA acted proactively to provide flexibilities to HUBZone firms that are struggling to maintain their principal office location and employees during this challenging time.  Highlights from SBA’s webinar included: The new annual recertification process will be voluntary for the remainder of 2020, except for firms that are up for a three-year . . . Read More